Tobacco Documents Online

WISCONSIN Newspaper Association 702 Midvale Blvd. Madison, Wis, 53705 Appleton Post.Crescent By David Horst "i adopts smoking ban Post-Crescent staff writer On July 1, the City of Appleton will join the list of local employers who have completely banned smoking. .Despite warnings from persennet ([ireetor Da- vid Bill of employee relations problems, the Com- mon C.oun.cil Wednesday adopted a policy banning smoking m all city-owned buildings for both em- ployees and the public. • Attempts to compromise by setting up smoking areas were rebuffed by smokers and non-smokers on the council alike. • Bill had proposed a guaranteed smoke.free en- vironment for non-smokers with separate smok- ing and non-smoking lounges where possible and an anonymous complaint procedure for viola- tions. The complete ban tells smokers that the council has not listened to their concerns, said Bill, who smokes. The ban, he said, will cause morale prob- lems, put new issues on the bargaining table and may cause key people to leave because of strong feelings on the right to smoke. Aid. Dennis Hendrickson supported having the only designated smoking area be outside of the building. Hendrickson works for AAL, which in 1985 became the first major area employer to an- nounce an all-out smoking ban. He said he knows of no discipline or hiring problems that resulted at AAL. Aid. Mark Reinholz said a smoki.ng ban has worked for the National Guard and can work for % c!ty. It s really the only practical and effective solu- tion," he said. Ald, Edward Spang, a smoker, said the city should ban smok.ing completely or allow it. Both Aid. Stevle $chmidt and William $iobers (~aid city e.mployees who work in buildings with esignated smoking areas told them the syste.m doesn't work because people violate the restric- tions when their supervisor is gone. Siebers said the ban "is really the only way we can go." . Aid. 3ames Stairs sa~d Bill'sproposai doesn't address the problem of secondary smoke. He can't guarantee a smoke-free environment and, in most cases, th.e subjects of smoking complaints will beable to hRureout whocomplained, hesaid, Others supported designated smoking areas, Aid. Eidred Mullen called the ban "pretty heavy:handed. This does not offer any com. promIses." "It seems a rather Draqonian solution to the • problem," said Aid. Michael Collins. Aid. Richard Feavel wanted to alLow.smoki.ng in thecity garages, but no one seconded., h=s morton. To imp]e.ment the ban will reqmre more de- taii..ed pohc=~. Officials must determine the naltms for wolations by.employees and by the public. The.definition of a city-owned building must be rehned to address such quasi-buildings as park picnic shelters and buildings not in use, such as the {ormer Prange.way store beneath The Avenue parking ramp, whi.c~h the city owns. The ban was approved ll 9, a close tally which Smits predicted will cause the issue to be brought up again. . Votingfor the ban were Slebers, Smtts, Spang, Hendrickson, Reinholz, Schmidt, Rayburn Kauf- man, Frank Mousley, 3..anet Nordell, Anthony Rosecky and Paul Schretter.